TV Wall Mount Buying Guide

TV Wall Mount buying tips

Go VESA!
The Video Electronics Standards Association is an international non-profit corporation setting voluntary, industry-wide standards for electronics, including TV mounts. The rule is simple: Televisions and TV mounts marked "VESA mounting compliant" will fit together. Non-compliant TVs and TV wall mounts can also be fitted together, but will require an adapter plate (sold separately).

There are several sections to the code, which describe the maximum screen size and weight the TV mount is designed to hold:

Code Section	Screen Size (1)	Weight (2)	Hole Pattern
MIS-B	4 to 7.9	4.5	20 x 50 mm
MIS-C	8 to 11.9	10	35 x 75 mm
MIS-D	12 to 22.9	30	75 x 75 mm or 100 x 100 mm (3)
MIS-E	23 to 30.9	52	100 x 200 mm
MIS-F	31 to 90	225	200 mm increments

(1) Maximum, in inches, measured diagonally.
(2) Maximum, in pounds.
(3) Many mounts of this size have both sets of holes.

In these codes ("VESA MIS-D, 100, C" or similar phrasing), the number describes the mounting size and the final letter describes the location on the flat-panel display: Center (C), top (T), bottom (B), left (L), or right (R), top and bottom (T/B) or left and right (L/R). For more information or to see the VESA compliant logo, visit the VESA website.

TV wall mount categories

TV mounts are one consumer electronics accessory controlled totally by personal preference. Once you've decided between wide screen HD televisions, standard LCD televisions or plasma TVs, the only real question is: How much to you want to be able to manipulate your flat screen TV?

Low-profile
This is the simplest, most economical TV wall mount. Basically, it's a girder (that attaches to the wall) with two upright posts or a plate (that attach to the flat screen TV). The thinnest mounts extend just 1 inch from the wall; most are less than 2 inches. This TV mount does not pan, tilt or rotate; it simply hangs the flat screen televisionon the wall like a picture.

Tilt
Tilting TV mounts need to extend farther from the wall (generally 2 to 4 inches) to accommodate the tilting mechanism. Tilt TV wall mounts generally move the screen 5 to 15 degrees up or down, some are lockable at 5, 10 or 15 degrees.

Swivel
Swivel TV mounts pan side to side; many also tilt up and down. Construction styles vary widely; some have a single support arm, some have two. A few feature full-range motion; meaning television sets can be raised or lowered as well as tilted or panned.

TV wall mount terminology

Articulated
TV mounts with movable joints designed to imitate the arm.

Ceiling mount
Used exclusively for a home theater projector, this is basically a vertical pipe with a low-profile mount on the bottom. It hangs the DLP projector or LCD projector from the ceiling.

Platform mount
The original TV wall mount design, these are used almost exclusively for standard (CRT) televisions. A few are also designed to hold DLP, LCD or plasma flat screen TVs. The TV set sits on a shelf or platform, which is atop the support arm attached to the wall. These TV mounts can also be designed with multiple shelves, holding a TV plus a DVD player and cable box.

Flip-down or under cabinet mount
For very small television sets first designed for kitchen use, they are also useful in dorm rooms, office cubicles or anywhere else where space is very limited. They attach to the underside of cabinets, as the name implies, and allow a TV set to flip out of the way when not in use.

Installing your TV wall mount

Find a stud. Flat screen TVs are much lighter than a standard (CRT) television or rear-screen projection TV, but they aren't light. You can hang a large painting or photograph from plaster or drywall, using the right hooks, but not a television.

Once your spot is chosen and your studs are marked, install the TV wall mount according to the instructions that come with it; then carefully attach the television to the mount. This is probably best done with two or three people, depending on the TV size.

If your wall is concrete block instead of plaster, or you have metal studs, pre-drilling is essential. (It's also a good idea for plaster and wood walls.) In either case, correct preparation of the mounting site will make for a smoother, better mount. Most TV mounts or adapter kits include all the necessary hardware, but, if something gets lost or broken, replacements hardware is available at your neighborhood hardware store.

When the time comes to remove a TV mount, remove it very carefully. If done correctly, you'll be able to repair the wall with a little spackle and paint. If not, you might unintentionally remove large chunks of plaster or drywall without even knowing it's happening, leading to major repair expense.

Other features on TV wall mounts

Many TV wall mounts feature "cable management," a way to hide A/V cables connecting your TV to cable or a satellite dish, DVD, home theater, etc. Having cables hanging down the wall is unsightly; cable management systems are a great way to make your home theater look as good as the rest of the room.

Some TV mounts also feature television locks. These aren't parental control devices; they are burglar- defiance devices, allowing consumers to secure the TV to the mount with padlocks as well as bolts.

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